West Nile Virus: Mosquito Coordinating Body

A meeting under the auspices of Health Minister Vasilis Kikilia to assess the situation regarding the West Nile virus was held this morning at the Ministry of Health.

The meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Minister of Health Vassilis Kontozamanis, Secretary General of Public Health Panagiotis Prezerakos, responsible Ministry officials and special scientists of the National Agency for Public Health (EHEA), Development and Food Authority, which will directly evaluate the implementation of mosquito control projects for 2019, which is the responsibility of the TABs (Grades 1 and 2), and design timely and comprehensive for 2020, the corresponding prevention and information programs for citizens.

It is recalled that according to the latest epidemiological data of EODY, a total of 158 cases have been diagnosed with the West Nile virus in Greece and the death toll has risen to 15.

In particular, last week there were 27 new cases of infection and two deaths of people infected with and suffering from meningitis and encephalitis. Also, 17 patients remain hospitalized with complications of West Nile virus infection, 8 of which in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

The Drama Regional Unit was added last week to the map of areas in the infectious West Nile virus strain. In total, outbreaks of West Nile virus have been recorded in settlements in the Regional Units of Xanthi, Kavala, Rodopi, Evros, Drama, Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala, East Attica, Pellikas, Pellakas, Pellakas, Pellas, Pellas, Pellas.

EODY experts believe that further outbreaks will occur in the above areas where the virus is circulating, but also in other geographical areas.

Given the EODY study, that there are 140 cases of infection in each community, it is estimated that West Nile virus has infected about 22,000 people in our country, who have mild symptoms.

It is worth noting that cases of West Nile virus infection have been recorded in our country over the last decade, as in other European countries. According to experts, it is expected that the outbreak of the virus and the occurrence of incidents in our country in any period of mosquito circulation is expected.

However, for the present period and compared to the same period last year, the serious incidence of the disease is reduced by 31%.

The Ministry of Health is continuously implementing response mechanisms to seasonal outbreaks of the virus, with enhanced epidemiological surveillance of the disease. In addition, national public health authorities are constantly vigilant and alert, implementing all planned actions in cooperation with regional public health authorities.